Happy 25th day of January.
We have yet to get through the first month of 2024, and so much has happened.
•This week, I took part in a private tour of the New Mexico Museum of Art in downtown Santa Fe’s new exhibition, Out West: Gay and Lesbian Artists in the Southwest 1900 – 1969. Christian Waguespack, head of curatorial affairs and curator of 20th-century art, beautifully and passionately curated the exhibition.
As the author Walter Cooper of Unbuttoned: Gay Life in the Santa Fe Art Scene states – “So much of our queer history has been swept under the rug, it’s almost as if we never existed. People tend to underage or ignore’ the queer factor,’ the enormous impact gay folks have made on New Mexico’s unique cultural life.”
Please take some time and see this exhibition and gain a deeper understanding of the ‘queer’ community here in Santa Fe and New Mexico.
•This year for PRIDE, HRA will be working closely with both The New Mexico History Museum and the New Mexico Museum of Art to create some exciting events for the day of PRIDE and beyond – that includes the Art museum being open, free of charge, on PRIDE day, June 29, to showcase the exhibition mentioned above. Also, the History Museum will be presenting a special showing of the documentary ‘Word is Out – a 1977 film featuring interviews with 29 gay men and women. This documentary was selected for preservation by the United States Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant and chronicles stories of ‘gay’ and ‘queer’ life in 1977. This film will be screened at the History Museum and will feature never before seen footage of three members of the queer community from New Mexico. We are thrilled also to offer this event free of charge to the public.
HRA is committed to the Santa Fe community and the importance of continuing the cultural traditions and awareness of all marginalized groups here in the city different.
•Unfortunately, I also need to mention that almost 300 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have already been introduced across the country in 2024. That’s correct – nearly 300!
It is more important than ever for our community here in New Mexico to be front and center in the political process and exercise our right to vote and be counted.
To kick off PRIDE Month this year, HRA is hosting a Let’s Get out the Vote rally and breakfast on the Plaza on Saturday, June 1, 2024, at 8:00 am. After your burrito, the County Clerk’s office is just a short walk down the street, where everyone can exercise their right to vote in the June primary.
•Today, HRA will be participating with EQNM on a legislative lobby visit day at the Roundhouse to represent our community and show our support for the continued protection of our rights here in NM